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Split-Screen Online Multiplayer Included in Call of Duty: Black Ops

Treyarch continues to roll out details on the changes coming to the Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer, and the big news today is the added ability to play split-screen online multiplayer.

Via the PlayStation Blog, Treyarch's Community Manager Josh Olin announced CoD fans will be able to bring a guest with them into the online battle. Connect a second controller, log on, and you and a friend will take on the enemy in split-screen action, with guests able to rank up and earn unlocks.

"A number of these features are ones that I think the community has been wanting for a long time, which is why we've worked really hard to deliver," Olin said.

Other new multiplayer features in Black Ops include:

Custom Games Editor: Players will have the ability to structure their games at all new levels of granularity. From variables as simple as Time Limit and Score Limit, or as deep as which weapons, Perks, and gear. No longer do custom game modes rely on the "honor system." And all Custom Games can be placed in File Share for friends and the community to browse, download, and play.

In-Game Friends List: A built-in Friends List in the user interface will enable players to browse Recent Players, Friends, navigate their File Shares, Recent Games, and Combat Records. The system is designed to streamline the social process within the game, making it easier to send invites and join friends' games.

Regional Matchmaking & Party Privacy: Call of Duty: Black Ops will support regional matchmaking filters on a global scale. So, no matter where you're in the world, you will have the ability to specify whether you want to match with players from other geographical regions, or only those local to you. This will make communication and lag a much less intrusive variable on your gameplay experience.

Additionally, given Black Ops will support joining games in progress via the streamlined in-game Friends List interface, a Party leader will be able to lock down his lobby to Invite Only, Friends Only, or even close it altogether if he wants to be in complete control over who enters and exits the Party Lobby.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is being developed for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows PCs, and Nintendo Wii. The game is set to ship on November 9.

Sharkey says: Nice. No more trading the controller when you're playing CoD with a friend. After the overly arcadey Modern Warfare 2 and the Infinity Ward debacle I originally planned on passing on Black Ops. But with all of the changes and new features Treyarch is adding... just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!